1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water treating agent and, particularly but not exclusively, to a water treating agent suitable for eliminating or preventing the occurrence of aquatic bacteria or other aquatic life forms such as slime or algae which may occur in cooling towers, reservoirs, swimming pools, solar heating systems, or irrigation systems; or for preventing the putrefaction of aqueous suspensions or solutions including organic substances.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bacteria or other aquatic life forms may occur in places in which fresh water is circulated or stored, such as cooling towers, reservoirs, swimming pools, solar heating systems or irrigation systems. The occurrence of such bacteria or aquatic life forms may cause significant maintenance problems with respect to hygiene or cost.
For example, in a cooling tower, if large numbers of bacteria occur, they form a gelatin-like mass, combine with other solid matter to form slime, and cling to the inner wall of tanks or tubes. This may lower the heat conductivity of the portions to which the slime clings, and may lead to local corrosion or pitching. Also, there is a tendency for algae to proliferate in places, such as sprayed pond, charged layers, or vessels, which may be exposed to light. Such algae may hinder the flow of water, and may cause the phenomenon of pitching.
In order to eliminate or prevent the occurrence of such slime or algae, disinfection has heretofore been performed by means of filtration employing a filter, adsorption employing a porous material such as zeolite, or the addition of a chemical such as an organic tin compound. However, none of these conventional methods provide satisfactory effects.
As swimming pools are used more frequently, various problems are encountered such as water contamination due to anomalous growth of colibacilli, or a lowering in purification function due to the occurrence of algae. In order to prevent water contamination in swimming pools, disinfection is carried out employing chlorine. However, as the concentration of chlorine is increased, the eyes or nasal passages of children or young people may be affected or color of swimsuits may be affected.
In addition, while a mixture of water and oil, such as a cutting lubricant, or various other emulsions are stored, organic substances contained in these aqueous solutions may putrefy, with the result that it may become impossible to employ them.
In order to prevent water or aqueous solution from being contaminated by the proliferation of the aforementioned bacteria or microbes, several attempts at employing a cuprous oxide as an effective germicidal component for bacteria or microbes are reported. (See Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 158202/1987 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 49306/1972.) However, although the cupric oxides is stable, a cuprous oxide is relatively unstable. Therefore, when copper is to be used as a component of a germicidal or bactericidal agent, it becomes necessary to cause copper to coexist with a reducing agent. In addition, it is necessary to employ a large amount of a copper compound.